In 1998, Andrew Vachss testified before the US National Commission on Libraries and Information Science regarding the real dangers of the internet. He said:

"[T]he greatest danger of the Internet to vulnerable children is not the display of kiddie porn ... it is the very real potential for enticement."

"Now, for the predatory pedophile, accessing a child via the Internet is a lot easier (and safer) than trolling a playground. As I said before, in my opinion, the real danger of the Net to children lies in its interactive capability."

"As a research tool, the Net has much to offer. But 'chat' is not research. And while it most certainly is a form of 'speech,' the enticement of children for the sexual gratification of an adult is not a protected form of speech."

"To be a predatory pedophile is to be a camouflage expert. Virtually all of their work is done by means of disguise. For every child molester who jumps out of a van wearing a ski mask, there are hundreds of thousands of silent predators. And, like any predator, they go where there is a plentiful supply of prey. The Internet is their ultimate stalking range."

Andrew Vachss' words were prophetic. Here's what happened to one of those vulnerable children two years later.